Virulence and the immune response in malaria

Many factors determine the virulence of a malaria infection. These include host innate resistance mechanisms and, with Plasmodium falciparum, the ability to cytoadhere to endothelial cells, form rosetts, and induce release of cytokines. The effect on virulence of acquired immune responses can be determined by Class I and Class II MHC-antigens; levels of immunological responsiveness may be determined too in other ways. The structure of parasite surface antigens and their great diversity modulate the immune response and influence parasite survival and hence virulence, and transmission to the vector.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Targett,G. A. T.
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 1992
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0074-02761992000900022
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